Schools are unique institutions.
As if you didn’t know.
They run on teachers’ teamwork, goodwill, collaboration, understanding, commitment, energy…etc. etc. insert cliche
It’s possible to work in school with young people facing seriously challenging circumstances (I mean like…abusive homes, poverty, social deprivation…the whole thing) and as a teacher feel utterly fulfilled and inspired.
It’s also possible to work in a school with young people who have a supportive upbringing, hard-working familes with a good income, and as a teacher dread going into school.
What makes schools (as organisations) unique are the…
- …leadership skills required, and
- …(massive) dependence on good working relationships.
The more middle leaders that can think ‘whole-school’ the more effective the institution will be.
Thinking whole-school depends on nurturing quality relationships.
Classroom practice is fundamentally about creating great learning experiences to develop the young people in our charge. It makes a significant difference in the lives of those children – and perhaps beyond into their families and with their friends.
Effecting institutional change has an exponentially larger effect on those lives. It’s what makes thinking whole-school so satisfying. It’s knowing that the structure around the community of young people has altered positively, allowing the classroom practice to be even more effective.
Imagine experimenting with a new behaviour strategy that you find particularly effective. The learning environment in your classroom changes.
Imagine then that your department trial it. And it works. The learning environment in your department changes.
Now take it further – middle leaders put the idea to senior leadership (perhaps in the form of an effective proposal). Senior leadership consider, debate, and alter policies. They set up training. They hold staff accountable for the new policy.
Eventually it becomes normal. It becomes part of the culture.
This is thinking whole-school. And you could do it too.
But where do you start? With nurturing those working relationships.
With this in mind, here are some ways you can start developing your ‘whole-school’ muscle.
I’ve given each one as an ‘approach’ and then a specific action.
Approach 1: Collaborate Intentionally (Action 1: Ask colleagues for lesson ideas in the staff work area)
It’s an area with computers, desk space, and storage – but its communal and cross-departmental. I will sometimes sit and work on something in this area as a change of scene from my department.
Some of the best, most creative, most useful conversations of my teaching career have started from asking a colleague a question in our staff workroom.
Ideas bounced around a few of us and stimulated my thinking immensely.
It’s also a lot of fun.
Caveat – I need to make sure I’m not disturbing someone…so I put my headphones on when I want to concentrate!
Approach 2: Take An Interest In Colleagues (Action 2: Greet everyone)
And I don’t just mean teachers: administration, maintenance, catering – everyone.
It’s amazing the difference this makes.
With greeting – I don’t always find it easy to make small talk, but I do say ‘good morning’ and if someone asks me how I am, I give a genuine answer. This has led to ideas for the exams officer, meetings with Heads of Year, to being able to know who to ask when I’ve forgotten my keys and need a room unlocked.
It’s also made me think about things as varied as our lunch queuing, through to dealing with lost property.
Asking questions and listening can lead to all sorts of ideas, thinking, identifying problems, frustrations…the whole thing. Being open and retaining a sense of wonder develops whole-school thinking in ways you may not realise.
Bonus action: give a colleague a genuine compliment*
Approach 3: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone (Action 3: Volunteer to take the minutes in a meeting)
It’s a cliche but growth only happens outside our…yeah yeah you know that one.
Find something specific that you can do that’s a stretch. One simple idea is taking the minutes in a department meeting (or if you’re a middle leader – in the Heads of Department or Heads of Year meeting).
I particularly like the minutes one because you can pause the meeting to clarify what someone’s said, or summarise at the end of a point (or even at the end of the meeting). This deepens your awareness of the concerns of the group, but also widens your thinking beyond your classroom/ department.
A veritable shot of whole-school thinking.
There are so many other ways to step outside your comfort zone. Something I do on a semi-regular basis is invite colleagues/ trainees/ ECTs to come and observe one of my lessons. The debrief will shift your perspective immediately.
Approach 4: Take Ownership Of Something (Action 4: Plan an deliver an assembly to every year group)
Delivering assemblies are one of the most under-rated ways to develop your presentation skills, profile in school, but also discover the concerns and characteristics of a year group.
Doing an assembly for every year group is a (perhaps cosmic) shift in perspective towards whole-school thinking. It’s a great stepping stone to doing your own whole-school assembly…
…and the Head of Year will take note and appreciate it.
The key here is taking ownership for something school-related that interests you. It could be a global issue, or it could be some personal interest. Whatever you choose it will provide focus – but also an association in the pupil body.
I invite you to choose one of these approaches and experiment with it for a week.
Then on the Friday of that week, write a one sentence thought in your planner. If you’re feeling adventurous, try it out and then leave a comment on this post to stimulate a wider conversation and share ideas.
I like to think that we have it in us as a profession to go beyond the bickering of the specific approach someone might have (progressive or traditionalist?) or the type of school someone teaches at (MATs criticising private schools for having loads of money?) or whatever debate (trauma-informed classroom?) is currently raging.
I’m not saying differing perspectives and healthy debate don’t help.
But when we lose sight of the deeper commitment to the young people in our charge – we’re missing something.
Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash
James D'Souza 